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Reading to Kids News
March 24, 2022
 

Dear Friends of Reading to Kids,

On Tuesday we opened the April 9th reading clubs RSVPs, and we still have a few open spots we need to fill!

April Reading Clubs on poster

If you have ever read with us at any of our prior reading clubs (face-to-face or virtual), please submit your RSVP today or keep checking our homepage at www.readingtokids.org to see if we were able to open new spots for our "The Wonders of Science & Technology" virtual reading clubs on April 9th!

We continue to limit RSVPs for these virtual reading clubs only to returning volunteers - people who have volunteered with us at least once before at any of our previous face-to-face or virtual reading clubs. See below for how virtual clubs work.

If you check our website and find all reader spots are full today or over the next two weeks, please keep checking back so we'll have enough volunteers.

STAND-BY READERS WANTED!

If all spots are full you can also let us know at info@readingtokids.org if you are willing to be a "stand-by" reader for Saturday, April 9th. A "stand-by" reader is someone willing to fill in for any grade at any school if we have any last-second reader cancellations.

Stand-by readers must be available that Saturday morning from 8am to around 11am and willing to read via Zoom to any grade at any school. It's a valuable role!
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HOW VIRTUAL READING CLUBS WORK

Zoom reading clubs

Because LAUSD has not yet determined when volunteer organizations can return to on-campus events, we continue to use Zoom for these virtual reading clubs.

The reading clubs will be hosted by participating teachers at each school using their school Zoom accounts, but you will need your own Zoom account to join the reading club. If you don’t already have a Zoom account, you can sign up for a free, Basic account here: https://zoom.us/pricing

IMPORTANT: You will need to use Zoom from a desktop or laptop computer. The phone and tablet versions of Zoom do not have the necessary features for our virtual reading clubs.

Ideally, anyone who volunteers for these virtual reading clubs will be comfortable using Zoom. If you wish to test out your Zoom connectivity prior to the reading clubs, we encourage you to email us at info@readingtokids.org so we may do a brief test run with you before the virtual reading clubs.

The Friday before the reading clubs you will receive a link for a Zoom "check-in" session with your Site Coordinators that will begin promptly at 9:00 a.m. that Saturday. Click here to review the schedule for these virtual reading clubs.

Once you and your fellow volunteers are checked in, that same Zoom session will have a Zoom Volunteer Orientation / Virtual Reading Club Training that will start promptly at 9:15 a.m.

At 9:30 a.m. you and your volunteer partner will leave that Site Coordinator session and then join the teacher's Zoom session. The teacher will host the Zoom call and make you co-hosts. The first 30 minutes will be for troubleshooting and a prep session for just you and your reading partner and the teacher.

The kids will join that same reading club Zoom session at 10:00 a.m., and it will likely go until 10:30 or 11:00, at the teacher's discretion.

After the reading clubs end you will then rejoin your Site Coordinator's Zoom call for a brief wrap-up.

To screen share the book you will be reading with the children, you will need Adobe Acrobat or the free Adobe Reader from https://get.adobe.com/reader.

We will provide you a PDF of the read-aloud book so you can prepare for the reading clubs. You can see the read-aloud book titles for this month at https://readingtokids.org/Books/BooksMonth.php.

We will provide at the above link activities and simple craft ideas the kids can do at home. You would prepare to lead the kids in an activity and craft, though you may not actually do a craft, depending upon how the Zoom session goes. The kids may just want to talk to new faces!

Kindergarten crafts at LA Elementary
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HELP OUR MARATHON RUNNERS
REACH THEIR FUNDRAISING GOAL!

Team Reading to Kids LA Marathon runners

Last weekend Team Reading to Kids collectively ran 186 miles at the 2022 Los Angeles Marathon and Big 5K!

Head over towards the bottom of their website to see a slideshow of our runners before, during, and after their races. One of our runners, Tam Premsrirath, was even briefly on KTLA News!

They have now raised $7,351, and you can still donate to their fundraising page to help them reach their ambitious $20,000 goal!

Team Reading to Kids 2022 LA Marathon

Team Reading to Kids LA Marathon runners
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LA TIMES FESTIVAL OF BOOKS
APRIL 23-24:
VOLUNTEER IN OUR BOOTH

Volunteers at the Reading to Kids Festival of Books booth

This year's Festival of Books will take place April 23-24 on the University of Southern California campus. Please join us in our booth to share your enthusiasm and Reading to Kids knowledge with other book lovers!

Click here to see all available shifts. If you're interested in volunteering, reply or e-mail info@readingtokids.org.

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BUY A READING TO KIDS T-SHIRT!

(Click on each photo below to see a larger version.)
Reading to Kids t-shirt front     Reading to Kids t-shirt back

It's time once again to get your very own Reading to Kids t-shirt!

We have a group order ending next Thursday, March 31st, so please head over to our Order a T-Shirt link for all the details on how you can order your own shirt like the one shown above.

That Order a T-Shirt link is also available in the lower left-hand side of our website. The more t-shirts ordered by the 31st, the less expensive they will be!

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LEGENDARY BINGO RESCHEDULED TO MAY 25TH:
SAVE THE DATE, SHARE OUR FLYER,
& HELP FIND PRIZES!

Reading to Kids' Legendary Bingo fundraiser at Hamburger Mary's in West Hollywood

It's back (and rescheduled)! On Wednesday, April 27th May 25th, join Reading to Kids for Legendary Bingo back in person at Hamburger Mary's in West Hollywood!

The drinks are strong, the drag queen bingo is "R" rated, and seating is limited, so be sure to reserve your seat in advance!

Reading to Kids Bingo Night flyer

If you've been before you know it's a blast. If you haven't, click here for a video of one of our previous winners to see what you've been missing!

Please click the image above for a flyer in .PDF format and forward it to anyone you know who may be interested in going to our Legendary Bingo Night. You can also print out the flyer and post it wherever many people are likely to see it, perhaps with a note that you are going and inviting others to join you.

WHEN:   Wednesday, May 25, 7pm - 8:30pm
WHERE: Hamburger Mary's Restaurant
               8288 Santa Monica Blvd.
               West Hollywood, CA 90046
               (323) 654-3800
               bingoboyinc.com/schedule-of-events/
Cost:  $20 suggested donation (cash only, please!), which includes 9 regular bingo games and one grand prize bingo game with fantastic prizes!

Legendary Bingo is very popular and there is limited seating available. Plan to arrive before 7:00 p.m. to get a seat. We strongly suggest making a reservation at bingoboyinc.com/schedule-of-events/ or (323) 654-3800 to ensure your seat.

All proceeds go to Reading to Kids. For more details, visit our May 25th Bingo event on Facebook and invite your friends!

HELP US FIND MORE BINGO PRIZES!

You can also help us gather more prizes for the bingo winners! To help you get started, here is information about Reading to Kids you can share with potential donors (such as where you work or shop), as well as a donation form for them to complete.

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Thanks, and we hope you can submit your RSVP for our April 9th reading clubs today or over the next two weeks if we get to open more spots!

Sincerely,

Charlie Orchard & Talethe Collins
Reading to Kids
1600 Sawtelle Blvd, Suite 210
Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 479-7455
(310) 479-7435 (FAX)
info@readingtokids.org
www.readingtokids.org
www.facebook.com/readingtokids
www.twitter.com/readingtokids
www.readingtokids.blogspot.com

Make a donation:
www.readingtokids.org/HowToHelp/HelpDonate.php

APRIL 2022
Reading Club RSVPs
School RSVPs Capacity
Alta Loma 7 7
Esperanza 7 7
Gratts 9 10
Los Angeles 4 4
MacArthur Park 7 7
Magnolia 8 8
Politi 6 6
White 7 8
TOTAL 55 57
APRIL Books. . .
Kindergarten book
Kindergarten
First Grade book
First Grade
Second Grade book
Second Grade
Third Grade book
Third Grade
Fourth Grade book
Fourth Grade
Fifth Grade book
Fifth Grade
Buy a Reading to Kids Shirt!
Reading to Kids t-shirt front

Reading to Kids t-shirt back Click here for all the details on how you can order your own shirt like the one shown above.
Order deadline:
Thursday, 3/31
.

Reading to Kids is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. Visit www.readingtokids.org for more information.

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